Saturday, May 19, 2012

In a nasty
piece on the student protests,
Margaret Wente lays on the clichés about lazy, demanding, ungrateful Québecers
- protected cradle to grave by the “Québec model” nanny state – all subsidized, she adds, by Anglophone
Canada.

She describes Québecers as ingrates not sufficiently
beholden to those in the ROC who pay the bills: “In France,
which many Quebeckers feel more connected to than they do with the rest of
Canada, growth has stalled and generous entitlements have far outrun the
government’s ability to pay. The same has happened in Quebec. But it gets a
helping hand from the rest of Canada in the form of equalization payments,
which will amount to $7.3-billion this year”.

Wente makes the student protest emblematic of a
French/English divide, and tells Québec to take a hike: “The rest of Canada looks on, appalled.
If this is an example of Quebec’s distinct society, we want no part of it”.

Comparing Québec to Greece, she concludes: “They want
the Germans to send them money forever and ever, and no matter how much the
Germans send, they’ll keep demanding more. The student protesters are the
Greeks of Canada. And we’ve had it”.

So who is the emblematic Québec student Margaret
quotes? After describing a protest at the Université du Québec à Montréal, Ms. Wente offers a single,
exemplary quote from a protester.

But it turns out the protester isn’t quite so
exemplary. He’s not a Gabriel
Nadeau-Dubois, nor a Leo Bureau-Blouin or any other Québec protester (who could no doubt have
provided a quote in English). No, Wente’s
example for this exercise in Québec bashing isn’t from Québec. The spoiled, entitled brat that “people
in the rest of Canada simply cannot understand”, is a student named Ethan Feldman, from, well,
somewhere in “the rest of Canada”.

Here’s Wente’s quoted example of his motivations:

“Governments are completely saturated by neo-liberal
ideology, disconnected from the public interest. These protests – like others
around the world – are about showing there’s a limit to how far the state can
go to protect capitalist interests at the expense of the people.”

And here's Ethan Feldman (an out of province McGill student)
in the Montréal Gazette:

“’Governments are completely saturated by neo-liberal
ideology, disconnected from the public interest. These protests – like others
around the world – are about showing there's a limit to how far the state can
go to protect capitalist interests at the expense of the people.’

He (Ethan Feldman) points out that few of those
involved would be seriously affected by the proposed gradual tuition increase.
They're working for future students. His out-of-province tuition is around
$6,700.”

Of course this isn’t the first time Wente has offered up a
sloppy cartoon of lazy, “entitled” students. A more significant example of her lax
standards was "John", the fake Occupy protester whose bio and quote
originated on an American website – but who, it turned out, was not an Occupy
protester at all.

While not as egregious an error, presenting an Anglophone
out of province student as exemplary of the Québec protests is still
irresponsible. Particularly when
Wente is so actively inciting ill will - asking us to view the Québec protests as
something “the rest of Canada”
(read Anglophones) “cannot understand”, “has had it with”, and “wants no part
of”.

I suppose from where Margaret Wente sits in her upscale
Toronto neighbourhood, Greeks and Québecers might look the same – tiny, and far
away – especially when you can’t be bothered to look. Most Québecers disagree with the protests, but that doesn’t
stop Ms. Wente from ramping up and exploiting Anglo outrage.

Clearly Wente doesn’t care to find out what’s going on, and
omitting the identification of her protesting poster boy as someone from
outside the province serves her purposes.
Wente’s article achieved its objective, eliciting an outpouring of nasty
anti-Québec comments on the Globe’s website.

But before she engages in any more divisive baiting, maybe
Ms. Wente could do a bit more research.
Given that his “parents cut the
cheque” for his “$6,700” out of province fees, maybe Ethan Feldman
isn’t so far away after all. Maybe
Margaret could actually interview him.
Maybe he lives next door.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

What’s the right word to describe David Warren’s
writing?Maybe it’ll come to me.
In any case, we try not to waste time here on the absurdities and logical
inconsistencies, focusing instead on errors of fact and attribution (just
browse the archive).Sadly, Warren
has been resurrected in the pages of the Ottawa Citizen after his Easter break with a column on abortion.

Another news item today reveals an earlier error.

Here's Warren, on October 11, 2009, writing about
disgraced Catholic Bishop Raymond Lahey (who had been caught returning from an
Asian adventure with a computer full of child porn):

“I offer this extenuation of the behaviour of Raymond
Lahey -- the former bishop of Antigonish, charged with possession of child
pornography (i.e. pictures on his laptop) two Fridays ago, and removed from his
office by the Pope the next day”.

Two things worth noting here; first that Warren excuses
Lahey (he blames “liberals” for tempting him), and second, Warren claims that in 2009 Lahey
was “removed from his office by the Pope the next day”. But it seems Lahey was not removed from office
at that time.

Two years after Warren announced it, though, Lahey
has finally been removed from office,
as we learn today:“A
Roman Catholic bishop who was convicted of importing child pornography into
Canada has been stripped of his clerical duties.”

In the intervening time, details
emerged about the contents of Lahey’s
laptop:

“Among the contents of Mr. Lahey's laptop were
pornographic stories about children which, like some of the photos, depicted
torture. A character in one of the stories, entitled ‘The Masturbation
Chronicles,’ shares Mr. Lahey's name, Father Raymond. …Mr. Thompson told the
court some content on Mr. Lahey's laptop ranked among the worst he has seen
during the course of what he estimates are between 50 and 300 child-porn cases.

‘They're right up there,” he said. “I mean, it doesn't
depict infants but the explicit images of torture are disturbing.’”

Aside from the falsehood about the Pope removing Lahey in
2009, we’ll note that while today he seems to advocate the re-criminalization of
abortion on the grounds that a fetus may be able to experience pain, Warren
remains unconcerned about the pain involved in child porn and torture when it comes to Catholic clergy.

In fact, he argues that we should inflict further suffering on victims’ families for the sin of embarrassing the church.Writing about Lahey on the website
“Catholicity”, Warren says:

“…we should withdraw sympathy for people
who claim their faith has been shaken by horrors within the Church – who make a
parade of their own offended innocence, and abandon the Church in her distress.

If they do not know that
their ‘relationship’ is ultimately with Christ, not a priest, then they need to
be taught, urgently and publicly. More profoundly, they need to be taught how
to feel shame instead of unctuousness.”

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Who is Andrew Prescott, the Conservative campaign worker now
linked to the IP address in the Guelph voter suppression
scandal?For one thing, as a
conservative Christian, he appears to be a member of the Plymouth Brethren.

There are “Open” and “Closed” or “Exclusive” Brethren sects,
though they all seem rather secretive.While Brethren are not supposed to be involved in politics (even voting
is discouraged) the Exclusive Brethren made news in Australia some years ago
for their questionable activities in support of John Howard.Similarly when the same sex marriage
bill was introduced in Canada the Brethren were active here - as this excerpt
from the Syndey
Morning Heraldindicates:

“A political conflagration was soon blazing as the
Canadian Parliament debated same-sex marriage… households in the electorate of
every member supporting the bill received a greeting card raging against the
legislation: ‘The suicidal rush to fundamentally change a 6000-year-old
institution is the canker that will destroy the roots of Canada's 'living
tree'.’

…the card was signed by ‘Concerned Canadian
parents’ who gave as their address a post-office box in a 7-Eleven store in
Toronto…’What I do not respect is tens of thousands of dollars being spent
anonymously with absolutely no way to contact this organisation,’said a Canadian Liberal MP, Mark
Holland… I would like to know who is behind it. We do not know who is behind
it. Is there foreign money? Is there a political party behind it?’

His questions were answered by advertising agent
Ron Heggie a few days before the Civil Marriage Act was passed... Questioned by
journalists after placing a newspaper ad attacking the legislation, Heggie said
he and the ‘Concerned Canadian parents’ were Exclusive Brethren. He told the Vancouver
Sun: ‘Those who think the Brethren are being unethical and deceptive don't
understand their approach to the outside world. It's not that we're hiding
anything. It's just that we're not interested in grandstanding.’"

“According to Marci McDonald* the Brethren have hired the
services of Conservative insider Gerald Chipeur, who has represented the
Reform-Alliance-Conservative Party for some time”.

So, it’s mildly interesting at least, if Andrew Prescott is
a Brethren member (and one who seems to have been similarly exercised about gay
marriage). Here is something that appears on a Brethren website at
the time of the legislation:

“The Government has
attempted to re-define an institution that it has no authority to alter. As
such, I do not recognize this legislation, and I will not recognize any same
sex couple as being ‘married’. Marriage is an institution defined by God alone,
and in accordance with the teachings of the Bible, God's Holy Word, I do not
recognize such unions as valid.

Today, hereby referred
to as ‘Black Tuesday’, marks the beginning of the end for Canada as we know it.
History shows that as a nation declines morally, its end is near. Let it also
be stated that the enacting of this law will result in the imprisonment of
Christians within the next few years. As one who may enter Church leadership sometime
in the future, and one who may be authorized to perform marriages, this law may
end up in my own incarceration. Nevertheless, may God's will be done.

My Declaration - (to be
read at my court hearing at a date yet to be determined)

On this day, ‘Black
Tuesday’, June 28, 2005, I, Andrew Prescott, declare that in accordance with
God's Holy Word, the Holy Bible, I do not and will not recognize the validity
of same sex marriage.

In accordance with the
religious freedoms proclaimed within Bill C-38, it is my right. Prime Minister
Paul Martin has indicated that religious freedoms will be protected, and he is
to be called as a witness to this fact. Any overturning of this right by any
court or tribunal is in direct conflict with the religious freedoms protected
under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

We acknowledge that at a
future date, these rights will however be ignored for the ‘greater good’, and
let it be known that at every stage of debate, opponents of Bill C-38 warned
that the protections for religious freedoms within Bill C-38 were not
sufficient.

In other words, we were
right. Bill C-38 will in fact be used to target those of faith.

“Well, we are well aware
that there will one day be such a unity of the globe, but we who study the
Bible know that this will only occur during the ‘End Times’, when the dark powers
behind the world leaders take final control and proclaim "peace" unto
all the earth; when their master, Satan, will in essence be ruling the world.
(as fortold by the prophets of the Old Testament, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah,
etc, and the New Testament writer John in his ‘Revelation’)

The main question at
hand is the role of true born-again Christians in politics. As a background for
you, many in our sect of Christianity have in the past felt that we must keep
ourselves seperate from the worlds affairs and use our time and resources
solely for our King, the Lord Jesus Christ, and seeking to convert the world by
preaching His Gospel to all before His glorious return to earth to rule; that
will of course be the true ushering in of ‘Peace on Earth’.

Several of us (mostly in
the younger generations) have questioned this practice, (of non-involvement in
politics) as we see many laws being passed in our home countries that are in
direct conflict with the Word of God, the Bible. (in Canada, a law permitting Same-Sex
Marriage is about to be passed) Some of us feel that it is partially due to our
neglect of politics that these issues that we are faced have arisen.

Of course, some feel (as
I do) that the passing of these laws may simply be another sign that the End of
Days is almost here, and it should spur us on to proclaim the Truth of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and that He alone is the pathway to God, before time is up for
the world”.

Further on in this thread,
Andrew Prescott makes reference to being“asked
today to join the Board of Directors for our local CPC EDA.”But
for the most part (until then at least), it would appear that the author sees
himself obeying some higher calling than the earthly laws enacted by
parliament.Would it be such a
stretch to wonder whether the same might apply to the Elections Act?